Employee Relations Advisor

Avon Fire; Portishead; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement 26d

EV Salary Sacrifice

Cycle to Work

Westfield Health

Staff Networks

Free Parking

Gym & Restaurant

Job summary

Avon Fire & Rescue Service is seeking an experienced Employee Relations professional to join the ER team in Portishead. You will advise managers and staff on attendance, performance, and discipline, and provide practical support across the wider ER function.

The role involves coordinating health referrals, family leave processes, recruitment support, and preparing correspondence. You will also assist with case conferences, legal case prep, and wellbeing initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide Employee Relations advice and support managers and staff on attendance, discipline, and performance matters.
• Coordinate occupational health referrals and signpost wellbeing and counselling services.
• Assist recruitment, shortlisting, interviews, and administration of contracts.
• Prepare letters, handle case conferences, and escalate issues as needed.
• Support the Family Leave processes including calculations and notifications.
• Assist with Professional Standards Board coordination and meeting follow-up.
• Prepare for Employment Tribunals and legal case preparations.
• Promote wellbeing, welfare and cycle/EV schemes through staff communication.

Job description

Whilst this role is primarily based within the Employee Relations team, the post holder will be expected to support the wider ER function to maintain cross‑functional resilience, encourage professional development, and promote a collaborative approach. The role involves providing advice, guidance, and practical support to managers and employees on a range of people matters, including lower‑level employee relations casework. The post holder will undertake initial reviews of People Impact Assessments, escalating concerns where appropriate, support Family Leave processes by preparing correspondence, completing calculations and liaising with relevant departments, and coordinate the Professional Standards Board.

The post holder will also provide practical and administrative support in relation to attendance management, including monitoring long‑term sickness absence and modified duties cases, while signposting and coordinating appropriate wellbeing, welfare, and counselling support. In addition, they will support recruitment, selection, and promotion activities, including shortlisting and interviews, and assist with the administration of Secondary Contracts as required.

Some of the things you will be doing

• Provide Employee Relations advice and support the Employee Relations Business Partner, employees and line managers in relation to the Supporting Attendance and modified duties policies, processes and toolkits including running reports, reviewing data and drafting appropriate letters.
• Arrange occupational health referrals and signpost to appropriate welfare support such as external health partnerships (currently Westfield Health), counselling sessions or other specialist input.
• Arrange and attend case conferences for those who are long term absent/modified duties in support of the relevant manager, Employee Relations Business Partner and Wellbeing & Fitness Lead. Ensure agreed actions are undertaken, which may include repeat occupational health referrals, arranging reasonable adjustments or instigating an attendance, capability or Ill Health Retirement process with the relevant lead.
• Provide advice and practical support to employees and line managers on a wide range of HR issues including performance management, retirements, disciplinary and grievance cases. Ensure appropriate administrative actions are taken in accordance with agreed policies and processes.
• Advise managers and employees to ensure compliance with Employee Relations policies and support with lower-level casework e.g. Level 1 disciplinary or grievance processes.
• Support the Professional Standards Board by co‑ordinating meetings, capturing decisions, circulating documents and agenda in advance of meetings and following up on progress with the relevant ER Business Partner.
• Support the team and relevant leads with preparations for any legal cases and Employment Tribunals.
• Supporting the Family Leave process by issuing letters in relation to Maternity and Paternity/Maternity Support Leave, running calculations and notifying relevant departments.
• Provide support for large‑scale recruitment campaigns for Wholetime and On‑Call Firefighters.
• 26 days annual holiday (plus public holidays) rising to 30 days after 5 years, and 31 days after 10 years of service after 10 years of service
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Welfare and Wellbeing services
• Staff Networks
• Access to Westfield Health Supplementary Healthcare package.
• Use of the multi‑gym, sports hall, restaurant, free parking and beautiful open surroundings at our Headquarters in Portishead.

With effect from July 2023 legislation was amended to enable all Fire & Rescue Services to undertake standard DBS checks for all employees. All job roles require a standard DBS check, with certain defined roles requiring an enhanced check. These will be renewed throughout employment.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service is committed to securing equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from all members of our community who are currently under‑represented at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, particularly women, Disabled people and members of ethnic minority communities.

Additional reading

It is important for you to familiarise yourself with our work at Avon FRS and the framework we follow. Please see some resources below for you to read and explore: